Chapter Seven, Old Nine of Plum Blossom

Du Fengji said: "I think so too. The Braid Army aims to conquer the world, and they cannot completely disregard the people's sentiments. However, they are currently slaughtering the city of Jiading. Hmph, in three days! What will be left of Jiading after three days? Yangzhou, it seems that this land of beauty and tenderness, which has flourished for six dynasties, will finally be unable to escape this calamity!"

Duo Luo's face changed color: "The president Sun you mentioned, is he the 'Dragon King of the Land' Sun Lu?" Mei Jiu replied: "Exactly." Duo Luo let out a sigh: "You are Du Si Ye, right? Why do you call yourself Mei Jiu? Si Ye, you are wealth itself; with you here, Sun Lu will definitely go bankrupt in exchange. What do I have to fear?"

After half a stick of incense had passed, everyone had arrived. What was originally a spacious area suddenly became crowded. Du Si gestured to Lie Ruohai, who was sitting on the left, and Lie Ruohai stood up. He was extremely tall, with a face that harbored anger, exuding an imposing presence. The conference hall immediately fell silent. All that could be heard was his voice: "We have just received news that the Qing army has breached Jiading. The defenders of Jiading fought to the last, and the Qing army suffered considerable losses. The commanding officer, Duoluo, has ordered that soldiers be allowed to pillage the city for three days, freely burning, killing, and looting."

This rather handsome young man, after expressing his intentions, kept smiling as he gazed at Duoluo, allowing the sharp eyes of this seasoned general to scrutinize him back and forth. Instead, it was Duoluo who was defeated by his composure, becoming increasingly nervous, and asked: "You say your name is Mei Jiu, and you were sent by the Yangzhou Prefecture?"

The facts indeed align with what Du Si mentioned. After this incident, Mei Hua Lao Jiu, the ninth brother among the ten sworn brothers, truly became renowned throughout the world

Mei Jiu could no longer hold back and interjected, "Elder brother, many officials and soldiers have entrusted your ship to transport their belongings overseas. Isn't that more than ten million taels? Why should you use your own money? I have a plan that will ensure you spend not a single penny!"

Du Si said to her, "Miao Miao, come with me to Yangzhou, and I will gift you a music house. From now on, you will have endless money in your hands, and you can choose any handsome man you like, how about that?" Sun Miao Miao laughed, "That sounds nice, but everyone knows that Ning Ning is your confidante, so what am I to you?" Du Si replied, "What do you mean there is no title? You are my sworn sister. When you find a suitable husband in the future, I will prepare a grand dowry for you to leave with." Miao Miao was taken aback, "As a courtesan, how can I be your sworn sister? Don't make such jokes." Du Si said seriously, "Who is joking? I admire your chivalrous spirit and kindness; having a sister like you is wonderful!"

Mei Jiu became excited and interjected, "In the future, when the fleeing wealthy families return, these Manchurians will also understand the pleasures of life. At that time, we can bring back more foreign goods and engage in substantial business. My brothers and I can personally teach those ruffians how to spend their money. I believe not only will the money flow back into our own pockets, but we will also be able to connect with these people, and the paths ahead will be smooth and prosperous..." Sun Lu and Mei Jiu laughed heartily together. Du Si remarked, "Damn, you two are truly extraordinary, completely lost in the allure of money. I was just about to tell the elder brother not to lead the children astray, and yet you are even worse than him!"

Duoluo is somewhat peculiar. The Manchu people rely on nomadic life and their communication with the outside world depends entirely on wandering merchants, which is why they do not look down on merchants as the Han people did during the Ming Dynasty. However, he never considered that matters of war could also be discussed with merchants: "Yangzhou will soon be mine; when the time comes, I can do as I please, no need to negotiate at all"

Mei Jiu stared at Sun Lu, contemplating a piece of news he had heard two days prior, already formulating a plan in his mind: "As long as the boss gives me both your and Brother Sun's seals, I am confident I can persuade Duoluo to spare Yangzhou"

Guan Yusheng saw him so delighted that he was scratching his ears and cheeks, and smiled, saying: "I have already sent both of them to Su Xia, you can see them when you return home." Du Si laughed heartily, made a round bow, and said: "Everyone, I shall return home now, please excuse my absence. I will host you all another day!"

Duolodun looked down with contempt: "Are you trying to seek refuge with me? Unfortunately, Yangzhou is already a lamb hanging from my saddle; I can pluck it off with a mere stretch of my hand, and I have no need for you." Mei Jiu continued to smile: "No. Attacking Yangzhou is a matter for you soldiers; we merchants will not bear the disgrace of treason, so we will certainly not assist. Chairman Sun merely wishes to discuss the matters that arise after the battle with you."

Du Sidao: "What is your plan?" Mei Jiu's eyes were bright: "Please, boss, you must believe me. If I say it now, it won't work out." Du Si looked at him for a while and said: "Good! From now on, you are in charge of this matter." As he spoke, he took a red jade seal from Sun Lu's hands and handed it to Mei Jiu.

Mei Jiudao: "No wonder our wealth is endless; it turns out we truly have the God of Wealth by our side." Du Sidao: "I won't beat around the bush with you. I want to find someone who is both brave and resourceful, someone with great courage, to negotiate with Duoluo. Our leverage is the money from our elder brother and my influence as the leader. Ideally, we can preserve Yangzhou without resorting to violence. I believe you can handle this; it just depends on whether you have the guts for it!"

In recent years, the court and the rebel leader fought fiercely, while the Qing dynasty's queue soldiers lurked nearby, eyeing the situation. The world was in utter chaos. Unlike those in the righteous martial arts sects, those who operated in the underworld thrived in such tumultuous times; the bolder, more resourceful, and luckier individuals were more likely to dominate a region. This was how Du Fengji, the leader of Mei Jiu, and Meng Fei, the head of Beiqi Province, rose to prominence. They were referred to by their peers in the underworld as the two great legends of the South and North.

"It doesn't matter? Then why did you just say that we need to discuss the matter of going to war with me?"

Su Xia immediately said: "The two hundred thousand citizens of Yangzhou, plus those from Yancheng and Qinzhou, would require no less than two million taels of silver to settle. " Du Fengji replied: "Then calculate how much the Qing soldiers could plunder if they were allowed to do so in the Yangzhou area?" Su Xia responded: "I have already calculated. Including both goods and money, at most it would be capped at one hundred fifty thousand taels."

Du Si turned his head to Sun Lu and said, "Elder brother, do you have so much cash?" Sun Lu shook his head and replied, "I only have about 4 million on hand, and the other 6 million can be used to conclude the tea and salt trade in the four southern provinces." Du Si remarked, "That is your biggest business; if it ends, won't you be reduced to your original state once again?"

Mei Jiu chuckled and said, "Since the general knows the name of Master Du, have you not heard of the unusual appearance of Master Du, whose complexion is different from others?" Duo Luo replied, "Hmm? Is there another young hero in Yangzhou besides Master Du? Then you must be one of Master Du's favored generals, worth quite a bit, I suppose?" Mei Jiu pursed her lips and said, "If I were worth anything, Master Du would not have sent me here. Even if the general were to squeeze me dry, I would only be worth a few taels of silver. By then, I fear no one will come to help the general resolve the troubles at hand."

Xiao Yu held Sun Miao Miao's hand and said, "Miao Miao, are you really not coming with us? Come with us first, and if in the future you find... find someone suitable, Fourth Master won't stop you." Sun Miao Miao chuckled lightly and leaned close to her ear, saying, "You are a courtesan, how would you understand such matters? I have no desire to follow him." This made Xiao Yu's face flush with embarrassment.

Mei Jiu originally thought that Sun Lu and Du Si would be greatly startled, but one was calm and the other casual, both maintaining their usual demeanor without the slightest change, which made him admire them greatly. He then recounted the events, and when he mentioned Duo Luo's reaction upon hearing the figure of ten million, the young man burst into hearty laughter

Mei Jiu realized that his well-laid plans had completely failed, and he was so shocked that he broke into a sweat: "Boss, have I made a grave mistake? My brother's business is ruined because of me, and I truly cannot atone for this even with a hundred deaths"

At such a critical juncture, Du Fengji convened a large assembly, allowing even minor leaders like Mei Jiu to participate. This thrilled him. Mei Jiu is an ambitious individual; his leader, Du Fengji, is not only his idol but also his goal. He is determined to become someone like Du Fengji, a person capable of commanding the winds and rains in the world.

Du Sidao said: "Since they are robbing, it is only about a million or so, plus the waste and extravagance... Tell me, if we were to give Duoluo five times the amount of silver for free, what would he think?" Mei Jiu immediately understood Du Si's meaning, and his eyes lit up involuntarily as Du Si smiled gently at him.

Many people below have begun to make a noise, and Mei Jiu was also taken aback. He had been staring at Du Si, and at that moment noticed that although Du Si was still lazily leaning, a flash of brilliance appeared in his eyes as he quickly scanned the area below. When he saw that Mei Jiu showed no signs of fear, he paused for a moment.

A group of people laughed and walked away, while Huang Mohan shouted hoarsely from behind: "Du Fengji, answer me one last question, where exactly were you hiding that night?" Du Si turned back, walked to his side, whispered a few words, and then strode away, leaving Huang Mohan standing there in a daze. Even when Liu Qing stabbed a knife into his chest, he still mumbled: "Impossible! This is impossible..."

Su Xia clearly understood as well, and he immediately said: "Why so much? I can at most take out 2,500,000 taels, that should be enough." Du Si laughed and said: "What a miser! If there are only 2,500,000 taels, Duo Luo would definitely prefer to kill for fun. Just a word from him would scare him to death!" Then he turned to the crowd and said: "Everyone go home and get ready, if we can protect, we will protect, if we can't, we will run, don't delay anything like eating or using the restroom."

As Mei Jiu entered, he immediately saw Du Si sitting in the middle. Not only was his complexion a sickly yellow tinged with black, but he also had a pair of slender yellow eyes, complemented by his wrinkled hair, giving him an overall appearance of being listless. However, in Mei Jiu's eyes, the boss looked quite handsome!

Du Si sensed the tense atmosphere and interjected, "Everyone agrees that our goal is to preserve our strength; no one intends to sacrifice themselves for the court, right?" Everyone immediately laughed. Du Si continued, "Then let us discuss how we can avoid losing our lives while also safeguarding the territory where we aim to make a fortune in the future. Housekeeper, according to Mei Jiu's method, how much will it cost?"

Suddenly, Lie Ruo Hai said from the side: "Ninth Brother, at a critical moment, we can intimidate him with their own internal strife within the faction." Mei Jiu looked gratefully at his second brother, then turned to say: "Eldest Brother, I will go now."

The subordinate leaders below immediately became chaotic. One named Li Zheng stood up and said, "Boss, let's quickly gather our belongings and leave." Mei Jiu interjected, "No! Usually, we have the audacity to collect protection fees, but now, when trouble arises, we immediately flee. How can we still have the face to operate in Yangzhou in the future?"

Sun Ludao: "The condition you gave Duoluo is that no transactions can be restricted for seven days, which has greatly helped me. The boss once told me that there are two opportunities to make big money: one is during a war, and the other is at the beginning of construction. I will leave those valuable items for them to plunder, but I will keep the necessities of life such as food, horses, silk, salt, and medicinal herbs. When the time comes, which soldier won't return with their hands full? However, once they settle down, they will only be able to exchange the things they painstakingly seized for those items I look down upon." I will leave those valuable items for them to plunder, but I will keep the necessities of life such as food, horses, silk, salt, and medicinal herbs. When the time comes, which soldier won't return with their hands full? However, once they settle down, they will only be able to exchange the things they painstakingly seized for those items I look down upon.

Mei Jiudao: "Yangzhou is the most prosperous place in the world, with the entire gold mine laid out before you, all of it having been completely seized. You claim to have little money, but can those high officials sitting at home believe that? Within three months, there will surely be someone among them who, out of jealousy, will spread slander. Day and night they will speak of it, and by then, the general will be in danger! I advise you to part with some wealth to avert disaster; it is better to prepare early."

When Lie Ruo Hai turned around, he said: "Yangzhou is very close to Jiading, and both places are known for their determination to fight to the death, causing heavy casualties to the Qing army. As the saying goes, when the lips are gone, the teeth are cold; if the Qing army captures Yangzhou, Yangzhou will certainly not escape this calamity"

It is precisely the Yangzhou Chamber of Commerce that wishes to have a private discussion with the prince regarding matters following your conquest of Yangzhou

That night, all of Du Si's brothers disappeared on their own, leaving only him and two beautiful women

Du Fengji looked at him with interest: "Meihua Nine, I have heard that whenever you gamble, even the gods will lose their pants. Is it your tiger strength that allows you to win?" Meijiu felt somewhat nervous as the boss spoke to him alone, yet he did not back down: "I believe no one is better at seizing opportunities than the boss. It is truly a pity to abandon Yangzhou. We indeed lack the strength to drive back the Qing soldiers, but if we can buy some time and help the common people escape from the dead city, we will surely win their hearts. The people will see that we are no longer mere ruffians, but true heroes. This way, we can recruit those capable individuals who do not know where to go, and then we can hide for a few years. The world will not remain in chaos forever; when Yangzhou improves, when we return, who will still be our opponent?"

In fact, Mei Jiu had already made plans in his heart. The next day, he confidently went to meet the boss, where he found Lie Ruohai, Su Xia, and Liu Qing already present. Du Si was seated on the right side, while a man around thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old occupied the main seat on the left. Upon seeing Mei Jiu enter, everyone stood up to greet him

Mei Jiu had a plan in mind. After most people had left, he slowly walked outside. Sure enough, as soon as he reached the door, he was stopped by Liu Ye. Mei Jiu immediately asked, "Is it that the boss has called for me?" Liu Qing replied, "Indeed, you are a clever little fellow; the boss has an exceptional eye for people! Perhaps you really have a way to resolve the pressing issue at hand. The boss wants you to go back and think it over carefully, and to meet him at Miss Yu's place tomorrow morning."

Duo Luo was taken aback: "Don't talk nonsense. We Manchurians do not have the cunning tricks of you Han people." Mei Jiu said: "Since the general does not believe it, so be it. No matter how you look at it, it should not be a problem to delay in Yangzhou for half a month. That President Sun will have to transport all the money overseas; after all, he has always been engaged in foreign trade. Where is the land that does not support people? By the time the president of the Yangzhou Chamber of Commerce leaves, when the general occupies Yangzhou, I fear that even if the ground is dug three feet deep, it will not amount to a million taels."

Although Li Zheng appears rough and robust, he possesses a meticulous mind. When confronted by a minor leader, he does not become angry but instead says: "Brother, if the braid soldiers take everything away, it is not that one loses face, but rather that one loses life. This is what it means for a man to be able to bend and stretch; there are plenty of good places in the world." Mei Jiu responds: "However, the place where money can be made the fastest and where recovery is quickest must still be Yangzhou. If we truly withdraw, it will certainly deal a heavy blow to our vitality. It would be better to help defend the city and buy some time, secretly notifying the common people to take their money and leave, while also strengthening our own power. Who knows, we might even accomplish a great undertaking! This is what it means for a man to be able to bend and stretch; there are plenty of good places in the world." Mei Jiu continues: "However, the place where money can be made the fastest and where recovery is quickest must still be Yangzhou. If we truly withdraw, it will certainly deal a heavy blow to our vitality. It would be better to help defend the city and buy some time, secretly notifying the common people to take their money and leave, while also strengthening our own power. Who knows, we might even accomplish a great undertaking! Liu Bang was initially just a ruffian, yet in the end, he became an emperor. We might as well take this opportunity to gamble well!"

The strategy proposed by Mei Jiu is feasible. It is quite manageable to hold back the Qing troops at five key points, and there will be no significant losses for our own brothers. As for the common people, they can be allowed to retreat to the Zhangzhou area first. The Qing army is not accustomed to naval warfare, and I have had a good relationship with the Zheng family in Taiwan in the past. By sending so many common people to him, I am effectively strengthening his power, and he will certainly have no objections.

No, I am sent by President Sun of the Yangzhou Chamber of Commerce, and I have no connection with the government

Within the city of Jiading, Duoluo coldly scrutinized this uninvited guest

Su Xia said from the side: "Mei Jiu, you must be careful. This jade seal of elder brother's is not much different from the He Shi Bi!" Du Si Bai shot him a glance: "You are just a nagging housekeeper. However, Mei Jiu, your fifth brother has a point; the Manchurians are extremely ruthless, and your situation is akin to that of Lin Xiangru. I do not need you to return the jade intact to Zhao; preserving your own life is the priority. Do not be like Lin Xiangru, clinging to a worthless piece of jade and refusing to let go, and when you speak, you frighten others into submission. This way, it will be easier to negotiate in the future."

From this point on, Jinling Shuangyan followed Du Si back to Yangzhou, while Su Xia established a secret lookout at Sun Miaomiao's Liancheng Music House. Due to her connection with Du Si, Yu Ningning joined the organization. Thus, among Du Si's ten brothers, there were now two stunning beauties.

Du Si and Sun Lu both laughed. Du Si said, "Are you really reluctant to part with the grain for a bird? What are you worried about?" Sun Lu replied, "The boss has left the decision to you, so you must be prepared to bear any consequences. Don't rush, you did very well, both the big brother and the boss are proud of you, and in fact, the big brother won't suffer much loss!" Mei Jiu looked at him with a disbelieving expression. Don't rush, you did very well, both the big brother and the boss are proud of you, and in fact, the big brother won't suffer much loss!" Mei Jiu looked at him with a disbelieving expression.

Mei Jiu suddenly exclaimed: "Sun Lu, doing business? Are you the Dragon King of the Land?" Sun Lu replied: "I am the Dragon King of the Land, and I am also your brother." Du Si laughed as he put his arm around Sun Lu and said: "Let me tell you a secret, this is my elder brother." Sun Lu smiled and removed his arm from around his neck.

He seemed to be in a trance as he sent Mei Jiu far away. The soldiers, witnessing their general personally escorting a young man out with great respect, were unaware of his origins. Even more than a decade later, some officers in Yangzhou would say that this young man, Mei Jiu, was actually a relative of the Fourth Prince, the Duke of the founding dynasty.

Miao Miao stared at him, slowly smiling: "Alright, I will acknowledge you!"

Du Si suddenly grabbed him: "From today onwards, you are my ninth brother. I have never put my brothers in danger, and your departure makes me truly uneasy! However, in life, if one has never accomplished a grand and remarkable deed, one will surely regret it upon death. Regardless of whether this matter succeeds or fails, you must return alive. If you do not come back... the eldest brother will definitely spare no effort to avenge you!" This matter, regardless of success or failure, you must return alive. If you do not come back... the eldest brother will definitely spare no effort to avenge you!

Mei Jiudao: "Elder brother, I took the liberty of giving Duoluo ten million taels." Du Si gritted his teeth: "You little rascal really knows how to spend money!"

Du Si smiled gently and said, "But I only need to know one thing." The two of them asked together, "What?" Du Si replied, "After this incident, my ninth brother will surely become famous throughout the world!"

Liu Qing suddenly said: "No, I would rather die than live under someone else's roof. Boss, Er Ge has always been an official, so he doesn't understand. But have you forgotten what it was like when we fled as children? There were corpses everywhere!" Mei Jiu replied: "But Sixth Master, the Qing soldiers are going to massacre the city! If we stay, we are just waiting to be killed. In a few years at most, we can return with a large army. A true man endures living under someone else's roof for future development, it's worth it!"

Mei Jiudun was instantly filled with passion! He felt that beneath the lazy exterior of the leader lay an overwhelming spirit, igniting in him a desire to shout: Life in this world should be like this!

Mei Jiu is a minor leader under Du Ye, known by the nickname "Meihua Lao Jiu". He possesses a remarkable skill in gambling, particularly with dice and Pai Gow, where the outcomes seem to be dictated by him. He has been working with Du Fengji for over three years, managing various casinos in Yangzhou.

Du Fengji asked, "Do you want to help defend the city?" Seeing Lie Ruohai hesitating, Du Fengji pressed further, "As an expert in warfare, what do you think are the chances of Yangzhou not falling?" Lie Wanhua finally shook his head, saying, "There is not even a 10% chance. The geographical position and the condition of the city make it difficult to defend. If there were troops to support from the southeast, along with your full backing, I would have a 50% chance of repelling the Qing army's attack this time, but it cannot be sustained; ultimately, we would have to give up. Holding out here has actually lost its significance." If there were troops to support from the southeast, along with your full backing, I would have a 50% chance of repelling the Qing army's attack this time, but it cannot be sustained; ultimately, we would have to give up. Holding out here has actually lost its significance.

Duo Luo said, "But how can I explain this to my brothers?" Mei Jiu replied with a smile, "The small amount of money obtained through robbery can be given entirely to your soldiers without you taking a single cent. This way, even if someone comes to you in the future, it will eliminate any potential troubles. How about if Sun Longwang and Du Siye also give you an additional ten million taels?" Duo Luo was so shocked that his mouth fell open. Ten million taels of silver was something he had never even heard of! How could he refuse such a temptation? How about if Sun Longwang and Du Siye also give you an additional ten million taels?" Duo Luo was so shocked that his mouth fell open. Ten million taels of silver was something he had never even heard of! How could he refuse such a temptation?

Duoluo impatiently said: "Just say it directly, what solution do you have?" Mei Jiu smiled: "The solution is to exchange. Jiading is three days, we will give you seven days. If you can capture Yangzhou, within seven days all the shops in Yangzhou, big and small, will be at your disposal, but do not plunder the property of the common people, and absolutely do not kill anyone. After seven days, Yangzhou will immediately return to normal, and no business will be restricted.

Du Si pointed at the middle-aged man and said, "Mei Jiu, come over and meet our God of Wealth." The middle-aged man smiled gently at Mei Jiu and said, "Young brother, my name is Sun Lu. The boss said he would introduce me to a person, and indeed, heroes emerge from the youth." Du Si smiled at Mei Jiu and said, "Don't mind him; he has developed a habit from doing business for too long, flattering everyone he meets. If you are a hero, that would be troublesome"

Upon returning to Yu Ningning's residence, Du Si and Sun Lu had already been waiting there. Seeing Mei Jiu's expression, Du Si couldn't help but laugh

Sun Ludao: "In business matters, Boss, you are not as shrewd as we are."

Meijiu was not angry and said leisurely: "Just like Jiading, a three-day massacre? Then I have nothing more to say. The general must prepare two to three million taels of silver to give gifts to colleagues in the court, right? If you need to buy some local specialties, I can help with some suggestions." Duoluoqi replied: "What do you mean? I have money, but I also share it with my brothers who fight hard; how could I have any left for those who just eat for free?"

However, looking at the present situation, the rebel leader has been defeated, and the court is clearly in a desperate struggle for survival. Two of the three major powers have already fallen, and the areas traversed by the Qing army resemble a land scorched by fire, with the prospect of advancing towards Yangzhou imminent

Sun Lu said: "The reputation of the Dragon King on land is worth far more than ten million taels. We must not tarnish this golden signboard; we need to plan for the future." Mei Jiu replied: "Taking their money, everyone in the jianghu will surely speak well of it. How could it affect the elder brother's reputation?" Du Si shook his head and said: "You foolish boy, in the future, who will be the ones storing large sums of money and transporting large goods with the elder brother? Won't they be people from the jianghu?"

Du Sihuo turned around and scolded, "Ah, you little brat! No wonder you are so generous; it turns out you have such intentions. You are even more ruthless than I am! This is unacceptable; you should go back and rest!" Mei Jiu retorted, "These officials usually work hard to extort money, and when something happens, they just turn and run. What is there to feel guilty about taking their money?"